Michelin Guide 2016: New Stars for Lyles, Araki and The Man Behind The Curtain

The Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland 2016 has awarded Two Stars to Japanese restaurants Araki and Umu, in a year that saw Lyle’s and The Man Behind the Curtain receive their first stars.

Michelin UK tweeted the results this afternoon after the Guide was apparently leaked by a bookshop ahead of its official release tomorrow (17 September).

There were 15 new One Star sites on this year’s list, Araki and Umi were the only new Two Star winners, and there were no new Three Star winners.

“It is a great compliment to London that when Sushi Master Mitsuhiro Araki closed his Three Star counter restaurant in Tokyo it was because he wanted to come to the UK to challenge himself in a different culture”, said Rebecca Burr, editor of the Michelin Guide.

“Umu is a very different style of Japanese restaurant – chef Yoshinori Ishii has steadily been improving the food and he has taken it to a whole new level.”

The new One Star restaurants in London include Lyle’s, Bonhams, Portland and the Dining Room at the Goring.

Leeds gained a star with Michael O’Hare’s The Man Behind the Curtain, and Kenny Atkinson’s House of Tides was awarded a star in Newcastle.

“The next generation of chefs are really coming through to give the established chefs a run for their money. They all have their own individual style and their ability – coupled with their confidence – looks set to lead them on to great things,” said Burr.

There was also a Star for John’s House near Loughborough – where chef John Duffin cooks at the family farm where he grew up.

In Scotland, The Cellar in Anstruther received a Star, as did Eipic and OX in Belfast, the Greenhouse in Dublin and Loam in Galway.

One star deletions in London were Rasoi and Maze in Mayfair. Outside London Sienna in Dorset, which closed earlier this year, Curlew in East Sussex, Apicius in Kent, Tassili in St Helier, Old Vicarage in Sheffield and The Stagg Inn in Herefordshire also lost their stars.

One star deletions in Scotland were Castle Terrace in Edinburgh, Knockinaam Lodge in Dumfries & Galloway and Three Chimneys & The House Over-By on the Isle of Skye. Thorntons and bon appetit in Dublin also lost their stars.